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SGS Student Services. General Meeting for Graduate Administrators Wednesday, October 16, 2013 2:00 to 4:00 pm GB 202, Galbraith Building. Agenda. Welcome Update from Systems & Records Update from Information Systems Update from the Q uality Assurance & Governance Offices
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SGS Student Services General Meeting for Graduate Administrators Wednesday, October 16, 2013 2:00 to 4:00 pm GB 202, Galbraith Building
Agenda • Welcome • Update from Systems & Records • Update from Information Systems • Update from the Quality Assurance & Governance Offices • Changes to International Student Advising • Update from the Postdoctoral & Doctoral Examinations Office • Update from the Graduate Awards Office • Update from Student Services • Questions
New Faces at SGS Corey Dales, Director, Information Systems Josie Lalonde, Associate Director, Student Services, Systems & Records Sophia Kirschner, Student & Administrative Systems Support Representative Scott Moore, Student Services Officer, Division II, Social Sciences
Update fromStudent Systems & Records Josie Lalonde Associate Director, Student Services
Refusal of Access toOfficial Student Record • Beginning November 2013 graduation • SGS is withholding the diploma for graduate students with outstanding fees • Not for Balance of Degree fees
Refusal of Access toOfficial Student Record • General email informed ALL students • Targeted emails to those with arrears • Many cleared their accounts • 43 will have diploma withheld • DO attend the ceremony─andcelebrate this important day! • Present proof of payment after the convocation period
Option to Access Services While on Approved Leave • Access to services at the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, Hart House, and Student Life • Cost-recovery fee
Access to Services While on Leave • Opt-in on the leave of absence form:
Access to Services While on Leave • Pay on the SGS online payment site:
JOINid • Type of UTORid • Assigned as soon as applicants are in ROSI • Very limited access to services─MyRes
Eligibility of Members of Teaching & Administrative Staff • SGS Admission Policy regarding staff members who are graduate students
Student Systems & RecordsContact Information • Josie Lalonde, Associate Director, Student Services, Student Systems & Records josie.lalonde@sgs.utoronto.ca 416-978-2780 • Sofia Kirschner, Student &Administrative Systems Support Representative sofia.kirschner@sgs.utoronto.ca 416-946-5611
SGS Information Systems Projects Overview Corey Dales Director, Information Systems
SGS Information Systems • Overview • The team providing infrastructure and support to SGS systems and services which support the graduate community (SGSDrive, online application, Ontario Graduate Scholarship, website, etc.) • We have many projects which have been completed, are in progress, or are on the roadmap for the near or distant future. • Today we will be covering a quick overview of these projects.
SGS Information Systems • Projects completed • SGS website • In late July, SGS launched its new website • Updated look and feel • Improved content organization • Responsive design for mobile devices • Enhanced search • This required infrastructure updates • Two new servers running the latest versions • Windows Server • SQL Server • SharePoint 2013
SGS Information Systems • Projects in progress • Videoconferencing for Final Oral Examinations • Cisco TelePresence equipment will be installed at63 St. George, room 111, including a display screen, video camera, and digital white board • A vendor has been selected and we are working to develop the implementation timelines • Confirmation of Registration • Web-based form allowing students to purchase a confirmation of registration letter • Awaiting final testing before putting into production
SGS Information Systems • Projects in progress • Confirmation of registration letter • Web-based form allowing students to purchase a confirmation of registration letter • Final testing is occurring this week • Bug fixes and re-testing • Training, communications, and roll-out
SGS Information Systems • Projects in progress • Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) • Migrated to SharePoint 2013 • Updates to the application including: • Individual applications by department • Addressed concurrency issues • Ability for students, referees, and grad admins to edit the same application at the same time without losing data • Rebranding to match new website • Updated status messages • And more…
SGS Information Systems • Projects in progress • Online Calendar • Migrated to SharePoint 2013 • Working to automate some of the behind the scenes functions performed for QA&G staff • Word file generation for unit entries • Production of PDF
SGS Information Systems • Projects in progress • Progress Tracker • System to facilitate tracking research-stream students through their program • Provide units a single location to view basic student information and capture progress/ committee reports • We are in the initial planning stages for this project (timing, funding, and data requirements) • We will be engaging units in the near future
SGS Information Systems • Projects to come • Online Admissions Application (OAA) • Migrate to our development platform SharePoint 2013 • Review structure and process (enhancements) • We will be engaging units before redevelopment occurs • SGSDrive • Investigate SharePoint 2013 as an enhanced method to distribute data between units • We will be engaging units before redevelopment occurs
SGS Information Systems • Projects to come • Student Services forms • Provide web-based forms/workflows for our paper-based form • Infrastructure • Investigating the move from SGS-hosted virtual servers to ITS-hosted VMWare solution • Exploring campus-provided Office 365 to replace the SGS email system • Campus-based Active Directory to provide single sign-on to SGS systems • And many, many more!
SGS Information Systems Contact information General support: support@sgs.utoronto.ca Corey Dales Director of Information Systems corey.dales@sgs.utoronto.ca 416-978-6115
SGS Dean’s Office and the Office of Quality Assurance and Governance (QA&G)
Topics Overview of School of Graduate StudiesProgram Modifications (Major &Minor)Academic AppealsAcademic IntegrityRevised/New SGS GuidelinesSGS CalendarSGS WebsiteContacts
SGS &QA&G Overview • Promote excellence in graduate education and research • Ensure consistency and high standards • Define and administer University-wide regulations, policies, and guidelines for graduate education • Provide expertise, advice, and information • Review the design and delivery of programs • Develop and advise on performance standards • Support diversity, equity, fairness, and ethical conduct
Governance: New Programs &Major Modifications • The UTQAP addresses the approval of new programs and the modification, closure, and cyclical reviews of existing programs. • Major Modifications to programs include a wide variety of significant academic change including the creation of new fields/concentrations or a combined program. • The Office of the Vice-Provost, Academic Programs coordinates the development of new program and major modification proposals. Contact: Emma Thacker
Governance: Minor Modifications • Minor modifications include new courses, changes to existing courses, changes to admission and program requirements, as well as some other curriculum changes. • Updates: • Governance Forms B, C, and D updated • ROSI form eliminated (Form B and C) • eLearning definitions updated • Form C─FCE weight for new courses Contact: Erin McMahon
Graduate Academic Appeals • Graduate Academic Appeals Policy is provided in the SGS Calendar’s General Regulations section. • What can be appealed? • Any academic decision, such as grades or termination of registration • What is excluded and cannot be appealed? • Non-academic matters, such as fees • Decisions related to admission • Student withdrawal from their program
Graduate Academic Appeals Four steps of appeal: • Step One: Informal Resolution • Step Two: Departmental Appeal─GDAAC • Step Three: SGS Appeal─Graduate Academic Appeals Board (GAAB) • Step Four: Governing Council Appeal (AACGC) Contact: Emma Thacker
Graduate Academic Integrity • The University’s policy on academic misconduct is found in the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters. • Other policies deal with the general conduct of students (the Code of Student Conduct) and with research ethics. • Allegations of research misconduct─see website of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation.
Graduate Academic Integrity • The Code indicates an obligation to report alleged offenses; this includes plagiarism and others. • Assignments worth more than 10% of the final mark for a course─ the Chair will refer the allegation to the SGS Dean. • SGS website resources: • What to do if misconduct is suspected • Procedures for preparing a case file for SGS • Sample letters, checklists, information on jurisdiction and the prevention of misconduct. Contact: Erin McMahon
Guidelines: Final Oral Exams (FOEs) Updated, effective July 1, 2013: available on website. Highlights of revisions: • An external appraiser should not be used more frequently than once every two years by a single supervisor or for committees with substantive overlap of members; • Sample letter of invitation to a potential appraiser; • Student must participate in person and FOE may not be recorded. Contact: Angelique Plata
New/Revised SGS Guidelines • eLearning Guidelines (new) • Upcoming: • Graduate Courses Guidelines (revised) • Termination Guidelines (revised) • Qualifying/Upgrading Year (revised) Contact: Emma Thacker
SGS Calendar Production • The SGS Calendaris fully online to graduate students, administration, and faculty members. • Calendar production for the 2014-2015 edition will not change significantly for graduate units. • Dates, deadlines, and calendar entries for governance are now posted to the website. • Calendar content is approved via governance. Contact: Lily Lee-Sloan
SGS New Website • Launched in the summer of 2013 • Graduate community profiles are a prominent feature. SGS will be approaching graduate administrators to feature in future profiles. • Your feedback has been appreciated. • Please continue to let us know your thoughts or concerns: communications@sgs.utoronto.ca • Contact: Lily Lee-Sloan
Contacts: QA&G Jane Alderdice jane.alderdice@sgs.utoronto.ca Director, Office of Quality Assurance and Governance Emma Thackerem.thacker@sgs.utoronto.ca Governance and Policy Coordinator Erin McMahonerin.mcmahon@sgs.utoronto.ca Governance and Policy Officer
Contacts: Communications Office Lily Yee-Sloanlily.yee.sloan@utoronto.ca Communications Officer Karen Shimkaren.shim@sgs.utoronto.ca Communications Associate
Contacts: Vice-Deans’ Office Luc De NilVice-Dean, Students Elizabeth SmythVice-Dean, Programs Angelique Plata sgs.vdeanEA@utoronto.ca Executive Assistant to the Vice-Deans Sue Murphy vdeanassistant@sgs.utoronto.ca Assistant to the Vice-Deans
Update from the Centre for International Experience Miranda Cheng Director, Centre for International Experience
Update from the SGS Postdoctoral & Doctoral Examinations Office Lisa Haley Postdoctoral Administrative Officer
Doctoral Exams & Graduate Convocation • Final Doctoral Examinations • Approval of Exam Committee • Exam booking procedures and quorum • Exam facilities • Graduation • Degree recommendations • Diploma holds • Balance of degree fees • Final-year fees
Postdoctoral Fellows • Postdoc registration database • Postdocs: employees vs. trainees • Funding source • Letters • Benefits • Parchment of completion • Conflict resolution
Update from the SGS Graduate Awards Office Kerri Huffman Associate Director, Student Services
2014-15 OGS Application Update • OGS online application now available to students! • Enhancements/changes for applicants: • Must create new application if applying to more than one graduate unit (so that there can be a customized plan of study for each department); • Referees will need to submit references for each application; • Option to upload a PDF file for Plan of Study instead of using text box; • Research Contributions section includes publications and significant academic accomplishments (2-page limit).
Tri-Agency Harmonization of the Canada Graduate Scholarships Canada • NSERC, CIHR, and SSHRC are currently involved in the tri‐agency harmonization of the CGS programs at both the master’s and doctoral level. The implementation of the newly harmonized CGS Doctoral Program is expected to launch in the fall of 2014. The tri-agency Canada Graduate Scholarships-Master’s (CGS M) Program description and single window application is now available to students. • Canada Graduate Scholarships-Master’s (CGS M) • Allocation of awards to universities U of T allocation: CIHR: 60 NSERC: 120 SSHRC: 125 • Simplified application and adjudication • Common eligibility/program requirements and selection criteria • Unified post‐award policies and regulations